Laufarija is an annual traditional Pust carnival event taking place in Cerkno in Western Slovenia. It is part of the pagan traditions that seek to scare winter away and welcome the coming of long-awaited spring. It is unclear when this particular tradition first appeared, though one theory would have it that it was brought there with German settlers in the 13th or 14th century. According to oral sources, it was performed regularly until 1914, when WWI happened. It was then prohibited when that part of Slovenia was under Italian rule from 1918 and onwards up till WWII. {x} {x} {x} {x}
The modern festival was first (re)introduced in 1956, after multiple years of preparation (as all the masks were destroyed – if not before, then during the bombings of WWII) and gathering information about the tradition from those who had lived to see it firsthand.
Originally there were 14 characters called laufarji (sg. laufar, from German laufen “to run”, see below why), but the repertoire has been expanded a few times since and today there are 25:
Ta terjast – The Linen-Remnants’ One (“terje” is the word for excess linen that remains when weaving it)
He is perhaps the most recognizable of the characters and the one that gave both the characters and the tradition their name: he runs around (therefore laufen and laufarji) making space for the procession, scaring people and maintaining order. His grotesque mask represents the spirits of dead ancestors. Originally there were 2 of them, but nowadays there are 3. {x}
Ta loparjev – The Peel’s One
He carries a baker’s peel which bears the phrase “Death to Pust” (Smrt Pustu) and the dates of that year’s Pust festivities. He represents the tradesmen of the town. {x}
Ta krastov (also Ta hrastav or Ta smrkov) — The Scabby One
He represents all the illnesses that pestered the town during the past year. He likes to wipe off his runny nose on unsuspecting spectators. The character was added sometime after 1900. {x}
Ta star in Ta stara — The Old Ones
The Old Man is the head of the Laufar family and the only one among them who can speak. Every year, he digs out the mallet used to kill Pust. The Old Woman is his wife who walks towards the front of the procession trying to sweep the winter away. {x}
Pust
Pust is the main character of the group. He is responsible for all the bad that happened in the past year, be it bad weather or bad luck. More importantly, he represents winter and needs to be killed so that spring may come. {x}
Ta smrekov — The Spruce One
He is Pust’s brother who stands by his side throughout the procession. He was added in 1958. {x}
Lamant
The meaning of the name Lámant has been lost, but his mask and role remain. Unlike the wooden masks of other characters, his mask is made of (goat) kid’s skin. His appearance is reminiscent of the Devil and his role is to guard Pust and scare children. He carries a three-headed pitchfork and the rope used to tie up Pust. {x}
Ta kožuhov — The Sheepskin One
He represents the shepherds or farmers and has a smilling face that’s all red because of the sun. {x}
Ta žakljev — The Sack’s One
He is a farmer dressed in sackcloth, happy and unconcerned with winter because his stores are full. {x}
Ta ličnat — The Bast’s One
He represents the shepherds from nearby hills and his clothing is made of linden tree bast. {x}
Ta slamnat — The Straw/Thatched One
His dress resembles a traditional thatched roof and he represents the thatchers. {x}
Ta bršljanov in Marjetica — The Ivy One and Daisy
The Ivy One represents the very opposite of Pust – spring and everything good that comes with it. Daisy joined him in 1968. {x}
Ta pijan in Ta pijana — The Drunkards
They represent the vices of alcoholism – he keeps drinking, rolling on the ground and hiding from his wife (also drunk), who in turn beats him a pin roller. {x}
Gospod in Gospa — Mister and Missus
They are well-dressed, reserved and walk towards the end of the procession. The represent the sophistication and haughtiness of the bourgeoisie. {x}
Ta žleht — The Wicked One
He represents the evil and malicous people. He carries a backpack with pig tail, ears or hooves, a stick with which he trips and scares children (which he otherwise needs for his limp) and a roller organ. He joined in 1958. {x}
Ta koševa — The Basket’s One
This mask represents a woman carrying a drunk in her basket. The drunk is smiling and obliviously nodding along, while the woman is angrily carrying him through the procession. This mask is typical of many different traditions and was included in 1958. {x}
Ta perjev — The Feathery One
He is a based on a “village idiot” and wears chicken feathers. The mask was added in 1966. {x}
Ta divji — The Wild One
He is afraid of everyone and everything (but especially everyone – he even walks at the very end of the procession because of his fear of people). He wears animal skins and supposedly comes from the forest. He is a more recent addition. {x}
Oštir (or Vaštier) — The Innkeeper
He is the last to have joined Laufarji – in 1997. {x}
Cesarsko kraljeva sodnija — The Imperial Royal Court
The Court is made up of the Judge, the Lawyer, the Scribe and the Jury. The Judge reads the charges against Pust and – after the Jury’s decision – sentences him “to death by mallet” (na smrt z botam). The Lawyer tries to defend Pust (unsuccessfully). {x}
